EU chiefs bid to counter eurosceptics

European Union chiefs in Ireland are going hi-tech to spread their message to the media and the public.

The European Commission Representation is rolling out a major communications strategy to inform EU citizens about its activities and combat Euroscepticism.

A new user-friendly website was launched today and podcasts, internet blogs, online polling and looped TV presentations are planned for coming months.

European Commission Representation director Martin Territt said: “Very often the Commission has been accused of bad communications.

“We need to listen more to the people so that we can best explain our EU policies to them.”

Dublin is one of the first capital cities in the EU bloc to pilot the new communications strategy and advertising campaign which aims to target schools, women, students, farmers and business people.

The EU has become increasingly concerned about the growth in euro-scepticism across the continent, which was demonstrated by the rejection of the EU constitution by voters in France and the Netherlands.

The new website, www.euireland.ie, will contain practical information about the EU’s achievements as well as sections on legal rights, citizens’ questions, press queries, and a special schools page.

The EU intends it to be a one-stop show for consumers seeking information about its activities and powers.

People will soon be able to download podcasts or audio files from the website onto their iPods.

The Commission also hopes to utilise on-line polling and monitor internet blogs to assess how it’s activities are viewed by the IT-literate generation.

Short TV promos will also be looped onto monitors in the Commission’s Dublin office to educate and inform drop-in visitors.

The Commission’s European Public Information Centre (EPIC) in Dublin also offers free internet access to EU-related websites.

An exhibition, Europe in the News 1945-2005, is currently running in the EPIC and displays newspaper coverage of major European stories since 1945 featuring the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, Foinse, the Irish Farmers’ Journal and the Irish Press.